Paris Peace Conf. 182/13
Dr. S. E. Mezes to the Secretary of State
[Received October 21.]
Dear Mr. Secretary: Before Colonel House left I had a conference with him regarding future work in the Latin American field. After going into the matter with some care we reached the conclusion that all the work that need be done in preparation for the peace conference in that field could be well taken care of on the balance of the fund originally allotted to it—about $6000—and he asked me to arrange for the tying up of this work on that basis.
[Page 109]We also have before us a program of work in Latin America prepared by Professor Bailey Willis, who has been in charge of that field for us. Colonel House thought that the work proposed by Professor Willis would bring in valuable results, and the rest of us here at the Inquiry are of the same opinion, but it seemed to him that the results would hardly bear on the peace conference and should be judged on the basis of their possible utility to the Department of State rather than on the basis of the needs of the Inquiry or the peace conference. He therefore asked me to so advise Professor Willis, in order that the Professor might take up with your Department the question as to whether such work should be undertaken under its auspices.
I have so advised Professor Willis, from whom you will no doubt hear shortly, and I am sending a copy of this letter to your Mr. Stabler,24 inasmuch as the work heretofore done was carried on in direct liaison with him.
Sincerely yours,
- Jordan H. Stabler, Chief of the Division of Latin American Affairs, Department of State.↩